Article
Geology
Shreya Mishra, Mohammad Arif, Sarvendra Pratap Singh, Mohammad Arif, Arvind Kumar Singh, Gaurav Srivastava, B. R. Ramesh, Vandana Prasad
Summary: This study attempts to reconstruct the late Maastrichtian vegetation and climate of the Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP) in central India. The results suggest a warm and humid climate with low to moderate energy conditions during the late Maastrichtian, and the dominant vegetation is palm family followed by Malvaceae and Ephedraceae. The analysis of climatic data indicates a strong seasonality and a possible monsoon type of climate in the late Maastrichtian of India.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
J. Alberto Cruz, Julian A. Velasco, Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales, Eileen Johnson
Summary: Advances in technology have provided paleobiologists with new tools to assess the fossil record, such as using the functional traits of vertebrates to infer paleoenvironmental conditions. Birds, although studied less than mammals, are not considered reliable paleoambiental proxies due to their ability to respond more effectively to climate change. However, investigating multiple groups of small vertebrates, including birds, reptiles, and small mammals, can help infer past climatic conditions. The presence of non-analog paleoenvironmental conditions in the Late Pleistocene in the San Josecito Cave area can explain the disharmonious fauna and extinction of several taxa.
Article
Geography, Physical
David K. Brezinski
Summary: Based on cluster and correspondence analysis, Late Paleozoic trilobites exhibit varying degrees of provincialism and cosmopolitanism over time. These distributional changes are shown to coincide temporally with the closure of the Rheic Ocean and the onset and decline of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age. The trilobite faunas of different epochs and geological periods also show differences in distribution and ecological tendencies.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geology
Luis-Andres Guerrero-Murcia, Javier Helenes, Mercedes di Pasquo, James Martin
Summary: This study presents the results of a quantitative and qualitative analysis of dinoflagellate cysts in outcrop samples from the Snow Hill Island Formation in James Ross Island, Antarctica. The assemblages of dinoflagellate cysts were abundant and mainly composed of gonyaulacoid taxa. Based on the presence and absence of certain species, the age of the lower and upper strata was estimated to be late Campanian and early Maastrichtian, respectively.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biology
Ezequiel I. Vera, Mateo D. Monferran, Julieta Massaferro, Lara M. Sabater, Oscar F. Gallego, Valeria S. Perez Loinaze, Damian Moyano-Paz, Federico L. Agnolin, Makoto Manabe, Takanobu Tsuhiji, Fernando E. Novas
Summary: This study presents an insect assemblage from the Maastrichtian Chorrillo Formation in southern Argentina, filling the gap in knowledge regarding insect assemblages in the Campanian-Maastrichtian interval in the Southern Hemisphere. The identified clades suggest that the insect assemblage of the Maastrichtian resembled those of Cenozoic age, indicating an evolutionary process between the Early Cretaceous and Paleogene.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geology
Enelise Katia Piovesan, Osvaldo Jose Correia Filho, Robbyson Mendes Melo, Luiz Drude Lacerda, Rodolfo Otavio Dos Santos, Allysson Pontes Pinheiro, Fabiana Rodrigues Costa, Juliana Manso Sayao, Alexander Wilhelm Armin Kellner
Summary: A biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental analysis was conducted on the Campanian-Maastrichtian deposits on The Naze, Antarctica, based on foraminiferal assemblages, lithofacies analysis, and Hg/TOC data. The study revealed a sedimentary association of lithofacies and an inference of the age of the interval to be from the Early Campanian to the Late Maastrichtian. The absence of Hg-TOC unassociated excursions suggested regional oceanic processes as the major environmental change driver.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Rasmus Ostergaard Pedersen, Soren Faurby, Jens-Christian Svenning
Summary: If human-linked extinctions and extirpations had not occurred, the effects of herbivorous mammals in natural ecosystems would have been much stronger. Our study estimates that wild mammals currently consume a median of 11% of net primary productivity (NPP) in natural areas, which would have been 21% without extinctions and extirpations. These findings highlight the significant impact of species losses on ecosystem structure and functioning.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Olga Antczak-Orlewska, Mateusz Plociennik, Robert Sobczyk, Daniel Okupny, Renata Stachowicz-Rybka, Monika Rzodkiewicz, Jacek Sicinski, Agnieszka Mroczkowska, Marek Krapiec, Michal Slowinski, Piotr Kittel
Summary: Chironomid (Diptera: Chironomidae) larvae play a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems, with their morphological traits and feeding habits serving as indicator features for reconstructions of habitat changes. The study found that habitat substratum structure, vegetation, and physicochemical conditions are associated with both the feeding types and morphological traits of Chironomidae larvae, providing a valuable tool for future habitat change reconstructions.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Geology
Paulo M. Brito, David M. Martill, Ian Eaves, Roy E. Smith, Samuel L. A. Cooper
Summary: An isolated, crushed ossified lung fossil of a mawsoniid coelacanth was reported from the uppermost Cretaceous of Oued Zem, Morocco. This specimen represents the last record of a coelacanth before their pseudo-extinction at the end of the Mesozoic, and it is also the first record of a marine coelacanth in the Mesozoic of Morocco. The large size of the lung suggests a fish estimated at between 3.65 m and 5.52 m total body length.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
H. Gregory McDonald
Summary: Late Pleistocene sloths had a wide distribution and inhabited various habitats in South, Central, and North America and some Caribbean Islands. They were classified into 27 genera in four families, but the number of valid species remains uncertain. The paleoecology and natural history of sloths vary greatly depending on their relative abundance, resulting in different sloth faunas with distinct taxonomic compositions in different geographic regions.
Article
Geography, Physical
Sukuan Hou, Yuan Zhang
Summary: The Linxia Basin in Gansu Province, China, is home to the most complete collection of Miocene kubanochoere fossils in Eurasia. The discovery of a kubanochoere in the late Early Miocene suggests its Eurasian origin and its slightly older age than the medium-sized Kubanochoerus marymunnguae found in Africa. Giant-sized kubanochoeres found in the Middle Miocene are also present in other faunas of similar age in China. The size and evolution of kubanochoeres were likely influenced by changes in climate and available nutrition, as well as the presence of other suid species.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Samuel L. A. Cooper, Erin E. Maxwell
Summary: A remarkable fossil of Pachycormus macropterus from the Posidonienschiefer Formation in Germany contains an exceptionally large ammonite in its gut, providing the first direct evidence of an actinopterygian fish consuming an ammonoid. The preservation of the ammonite's conch and the minor acid etching on its shell suggests that the fish swallowed the ammonite shortly before its death. The fish's stomach created a microenvironment that protected the ammonite from chemical dissolution.
GEOLOGICAL MAGAZINE
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Ahmed Ismail, Mahmoud Faris, Adel El Shahawy, Ahmed Abdel Naby
Summary: This study investigates the benthic foraminifera of the Maastrichtian-Ypresian interval in El Hasana area, Central Sinai, Egypt, to understand the biostratigraphic and paleoecologic changes across the K/Pg and P/E boundaries. It identifies five benthic assemblages and deduces paleoenvironmental conditions and extinction/recovery patterns.
PALAEONTOGRAPHICA ABTEILUNG A-PALAOZOOLOGIE-STRATIGRAPHIE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Victor Mataigne, Nathan Vannier, Philippe Vandenkoornhuyse, Stephane Hacquard
Summary: This study used in silico analysis to explore the metabolic potential and dependencies among 193 bacteria isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana roots. The results showed that metabolic potential is clustered by phylogeny, and nutrient availability and root exudates play a key role in determining the number of producible metabolites. The study highlights the importance of environmental factors and cooperation among microbiota members in maintaining co-existence in microbial communities.
Article
Geography, Physical
Yu. Andrey Puzachenko, A. Vladimir Levchenko, Fiona Bertuch, P. Elya Zazovskaya, V. Irina Kirillova
Summary: Uncertain chronology and data scarcity have hindered realistic reconstructions of megafauna extinctions in key regions like Beringia. This study analyzed the woolly rhinoceros distribution changes in the region based on new and previously published radiocarbon dates, identifying three waves separated by Heinrich events. The research suggests that ecological factors, rather than feed availability, played a key role in determining the woolly rhinoceros range over different climatic stages.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
C. C. Wainman, I. Borissova, D. L. Harry, R. W. Hobbs, D. J. Mantle, A. Maritati, E. Y. Lee
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES
(2020)
Editorial Material
Biology
Elizabeth R. Ellwood, Jocelyn Anne Sessa, Joel K. Abraham, Amber E. Budden, Natalie Douglas, Robert Guralnick, Erica Krimmel, Tom Langen, Debra Linton, Molly Phillips, Pamela S. Soltis, Marie Studer, Lisa D. White, Jason Williams, Anna K. Monfils
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Maximilian Vahlenkamp, David De Vleeschouwer, Sietske J. Batenburg, Kirsty M. Edgar, Emma Hanson, Mathieu Martinez, Heiko Paelike, Kenneth G. MacLeod, Yong-Xiang Li, Carl Richter, Kara Bogus, Richard W. Hobbs, Brian T. Huber
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2020)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
K. G. MacLeod, L. T. White, C. C. Wainman, M. Martinez, M. M. Jones, S. J. Batenburg, L. Riquier, S. J. Haynes, D. K. Watkins, K. A. Bogus, H-J Brumsack, R. do Monte Guerra, K. M. Edgar, T. Edvardsen, D. L. Harry, T. Hasegawa, R. W. Hobbs, B. T. Huber, T. Jiang, J. Kuroda, E. Y. Lee, Y-X Li, A. Maritati, L. K. O'Connor, M. R. Petrizzo, T. M. Quan, C. Richter, M. L. G. Tejada, G. Tagliaro, E. Wolfgring, Z. Xu
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Adriane R. Lam, Kenneth G. MacLeod, Solveig H. Schilling, R. Mark Leckie, Andrew J. Fraass, Molly O. Patterson, Nicholas L. Venti
Summary: The study investigated the behavior of the Kuroshio Current Extension (KCE) using stable isotopic analyses of planktic foraminifera, revealing its warming and cooling patterns during different tectonic and climate events. The growth of Northern Hemisphere ice led to the modern configuration of the KCE, while the southern part showed different temperature trends throughout the study period.
PALEOCEANOGRAPHY AND PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Alicja Wudarska, Michael Wiedenbeck, Ewa Slaby, Malgorzata Lempart-Drozd, Chris Harris, Michael M. Joachimski, Christophe Lecuyer, Kenneth G. MacLeod, Andreas Pack, Torsten Vennemann, Frederic Couffignal, Dingsu Feng, Johannes Glodny, Christof Kusebauch, Sathish Mayanna, Alexander Rocholl, Laura Speir, Yadong Sun, Franziska D. H. Wilke
Summary: This study reports on the oxygen isotope compositions of four proposed apatite reference materials using different analytical methods. The results show that there is a significant offset between the results obtained from different methods, which cannot be attributed to the chemical characteristics of the samples.
GEOSTANDARDS AND GEOANALYTICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Maria Rose Petrizzo, Kenneth G. MacLeod, David K. Watkins, Erik Wolfgring, Brian T. Huber
Summary: The sedimentary record from the latest Cenomanian to Santonian in the Mentelle Basin provides valuable information on the paleoceanographic evolution and climate change in the Southern Hemisphere. The data suggests a transition from a hothouse climate to a cooling period during the Late Cretaceous, with decreasing CO2 concentration and changes in oceanic circulation playing a role in the climate deterioration. The changes in planktonic and benthic foraminiferal assemblages reflect the cooling trend and the impact on both surface and bottom waters.
PALEOCEANOGRAPHY AND PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geology
Brian T. Huber, Nataliya A. Tur, Jean Self-Trail, Kenneth G. MacLeod
Summary: The study analyzed the distribution of well-preserved and diverse planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils over the past 10 million years in the western subtropical North Atlantic. Through age models constructed based on foram, nannofossil, and magnetic polarity datum events, reliable temporal correlation framework was established for the sites, enabling comparisons of species richness and abundance among sites. The study also revealed significant extinction events and hiatuses at specific time intervals linked to global warming events and changes in deep-water circulation patterns.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Qingchao Fan, Zhaokai Xu, Kenneth G. MacLeod, Hans-Jurgen Brumsack, Tiegang Li, Fengming Chang, Shiming Wan, Laurent Riquier, Delong Fu, Zhendong Luan, Baichuan Duan, Hongjin Chen, Wei Wang, Dhongil Lim
Summary: This study presents the first detailed sedimentary and geochemical record of the OAE 1d at southern high latitudes, linking it to the Central Kerguelen large igneous province volcanism. Increased continental runoff from southwestern Australia weakened bottom-water oxygenation and enhanced organic matter burial in the southeastern proto-Indian Ocean during OAE 1d.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Paleontology
Erik Wolfgring, Maria Rose Petrizzo, Kenneth G. MacLeod, Brian T. Huber, David K. Watkins
Summary: This study investigates the changes in benthic foraminiferal communities during the Santonian period at Site U1513 on the Naturaliste Plateau. It reveals a decline in taxonomic richness and changes in relative abundance, indicating a shift from oligotrophic to eutrophic conditions in the bottom water despite a cooling trend.
MARINE MICROPALEONTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Maria Rose Petrizzo, Giulia Amaglio, David K. Watkins, Kenneth G. MacLeod, Brian T. Huber, Takashi Hasegawa, Erik Wolfgring
Summary: Investigating the biotic response and paleoceanographic conditions during the OAE 2 event at high southern latitudes provides valuable insights into water mass stratification dynamics and paleobathymetric reconstruction, supported by reliable bio-chronostratigraphic framework from calcareous nannofossils.
PALEOCEANOGRAPHY AND PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Matthew M. Jones, Bradley B. Sageman, David Selby, Andrew D. Jacobson, Sietske J. Batenburg, Laurent Riquier, Kenneth G. MacLeod, Brian T. Huber, Kara A. Bogus, Maria Luisa G. Tejada, Junichiro Kuroda, Richard W. Hobbs
Summary: Large-igneous-province volcanic activity during the mid-Cretaceous triggered a global-scale episode of reduced marine oxygen levels known as Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 approximately 94.5 million years ago. It has been hypothesized that this geologically rapid degassing of volcanic carbon dioxide altered seawater carbonate chemistry, affecting marine ecosystems, geochemical cycles and sedimentation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emily J. J. Judd, Jessica E. E. Tierney, Brian T. T. Huber, Scott L. L. Wing, Daniel J. J. Lunt, Heather L. L. Ford, Gordon N. N. Inglis, Erin L. L. McClymont, Charlotte L. L. O'Brien, Ronnakrit Rattanasriampaipong, Weimin Si, Matthew L. L. Staitis, Kaustubh Thirumalai, Eleni Anagnostou, Margot J. J. Cramwinckel, Robin R. R. Dawson, David Evans, William R. R. Gray, Ethan L. L. Grossman, Michael J. J. Henehan, Brittany N. N. Hupp, Kenneth G. G. MacLeod, Lauren K. K. O'Connor, Maria Luisa Sanchez Montes, Haijun Song, Yi Ge Zhang
Summary: PhanSST is a database containing over 150,000 paleotemperature proxy data points that can be used to estimate past sea surface temperature. The data have a global distribution, cover a wide temporal range, and include detailed metadata to promote transparency and reproducibility.
Article
Paleontology
Rosie L. Oakes, Morgan Hill Chase, Mark E. Siddall, Jocelyn A. Sessa
PALAEONTOLOGIA ELECTRONICA
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Rosie L. Oakes, Jocelyn A. Sessa